Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to top January races! Here we spotlight best bets & hidden gems to help get your racing year off to a strong start.
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= Top Rated (Overall rating of at least 4.7 across 10+ reviews)
January Marathons
State 47 Las Cruces Marathon
Jan 6; Las Cruces, NM
Marathon, half marathon, 4.7 miler
Desert out-and-back dominated by the Organ Mountains
Daufuskie Island Marathon
Jan 13; Daufuskie Island, SC
Marathon, half marathon
Two-loop gem 
circles SC’s southernmost sea island
Lake Mead Marathon
Jan 13; Boulder City, NV
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Train tunnels & epic views of the nation’s largest manmade lake
Museum of Aviation Marathon
Jan 13; Warner Robins, GA
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Double loop of Robins AFB benefits its USAF namesake
Chevron Houston Marathon
Jan 13–14; Houston, TX
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Urban BQ favorite is a well-oiled marathon machine
Louisiana Marathon
Jan 13–14; Baton Rouge, LA
Marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon, 5K
Flat, fast & festive cultural celebration in the state capital
Maui Oceanfront Marathon
Jan 14; Lahaina, HI
Double marathon, marathon, half marathon, 15K, 10K, 5K
Respectful run to help heal fire-ravaged Lahaina 
Redding Marathon
Jan 14; Shasta Lake, CA
Marathon, marathon relay, 5K
Small, serene point-to-point along the Sacramento River
Big Beach Marathon
Jan 27–28; Gulf Shores, AL
Marathon, half marathon, 7K
Run through a state park, then party on a big beach
Miami Marathon
Jan 27–28; Miami, FL
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
From bay to beach, a spirited showcase of the Magic City
Town of Celebration Marathon
Jan 28; Celebration, FL
Marathon, half marathon
Charming winter winner on Disney’s doorstep
Or search for more January marathons
January Half Marathons
I Just Want to be a Unicorn Half Marathon
Jan 6; Knoxville, TN
Half marathon, 5K
Don’t “myth” Knoxville’s colorful, quirky riverfront run 
Newport Resolution Run & Polar Bear Plunge
Jan 6; Newport, OR
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Road/trail hybrid ends with an (optional) plunge in the Pacific
Woolly Hollow Trail Half
Jan 13; Greenbrier, AR
Half marathon
Off-road adventure boasts fun trails & serious swag
Shark Bite Half
Jan 13–14; New Smyrna Beach, FL
Half marathon, 5K
“Fin”ish strong in the Shark Bite Capital of the World
(Registration opens soon)
Key West Half
Jan 14; Key West, FL
Half marathon, 5K
Destination sensation in the nation’s southernmost city
Best Damn Race Safety Harbor
Jan 20; Safety Harbor, FL
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Beautiful bayside run & a damn good after-party, too
Charleston Half
Jan 20; Charleston, SC
Half marathon, 5K
Historic port city rolls out the red carpet with a new course
3M Half
Jan 21; Austin, TX
Half marathon, half marathon relay
“Downhill to Downtown” course celebrates its 30th year
Rose Bowl Half (above)
Jan 21; Pasadena, CA
Half marathon, 5K
Finish on the field of the world-famous host venue 
Or search for more January half marathons
January Ultra Marathons
Avalon 50K & 50M Benefit Run
Jan 6; Avalon, CA
50 miler, 50K
Catalina Island wows w/ ocean views & free-ranging bison 
Wild Azalea Trail Challenge
Jan 6; Kisatchie National Forest, LA
50 miler, 27 miler, half marathon, 10K
Explore Kisatchie Nat’l Forest on Louisiana’s longest trail
Big Bend Ultra
Jan 14; Terlingua, TX
50 miler, 50K, 30K, 20K, 10K
Dramatic desert landscapes in remote Big Bend State Park
Arches Ultra
Jan 27; Moab, UT
50 miler, 50K, half marathon, 9K
Sand & slickrock a stone’s throw from Arches Natl Park
Mountain Mist 50K Trail Run
Jan 27 (est); Huntsville, AL
50K
Rugged Monte Sano hosts “Alabama’s toughest trail run”
(Registration opens soon)
Or search for more January ultra marathons
January International Races
PolarNight Marathon 
Jan 6; Tromsø, Norway
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Arctic adventure w/ the potential for a northern lights sighting
Bermuda Triangle Challenge 
Jan 12–14; Hamilton, Bermuda
Marathon, half marathon, half marathon relay, 10K, 1 miler
Feel your worries disappear at this 3-day island getaway
Egyptian Marathon 
Jan 12; Luxor, Egypt
Marathon, 22.2K, 12K, 5K
Run among ruins in “the world’s greatest open-air museum”
First Light Marathon 
Jan 20; Gisborne, New Zealand
Marathon, half marathon
Be among the first on the planet to greet the sunrise
Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 
Jan 21; Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Marathon, half marathon, 10K
Stunning views of Victoria Harbour & the iconic city skyline
(Public ballot registration opens Sep 21)
Or search for more January international races
Looking for more great races across the U.S. and around the world? Check out our Featured Races for:
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Author: Mike Sohaskey
Mike Sohaskey is the co-founder of RaceRaves, the premier online reviews community for runners to share their race experiences and find their next challenge. Mike honed his creative and critical thinking skills as a research scientist, earning a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Stanford. He’s also completed over 100 races — including 50+ marathons and ultras — in locations ranging from Antarctica to Zimbabwe.
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And for more helpful articles, check out our blog!
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